King Lear

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter CORNWALL, and REGAN, and GONERIL, and EDMUND the bastard, and servants

CORNWALL enters with REGAN, GONERIL, EDMUND, and servants.

CORNWALL

(to GONERIL) Post speedily to my lord your husband. Show
him this letter. The army of France is landed.
—Seek out the traitor Gloucester.

CORNWALL

(to GONERIL) Hurry to your husband. Show him this letter. The French army has landed.—Find the traitor Gloucester.

Exeunt some servants

Some servants exit.

REGAN

Hang him instantly.

REGAN

Hang him immediately.

GONERIL

Pluck out his eyes.

GONERIL

Gouge out his eyes!

5

CORNWALL

Leave him to my displeasure.—Edmund, keep you our
sister company. The revenges we are bound to take upon
your traitorous father are not fit for your beholding. Advise
the duke where you are going, to a most festinate
preparation. We are bound to the like. Our posts shall be
swift and intelligent betwixt us.—Farewell, dear sister.
(to EDMUND) Farewell, my lord of Gloucester.

CORNWALL

Leave him to my wrath.—Edmund, go with my sister-in-law. You shouldn’t have to see the punishment we inflict on your father. Tell the Duke of Albany to prepare for war immediately. We will do the same. We’ll keep the lines of communication open between us. (to GONERIL) Goodbye, my dear sister-in-law. (to EDMUND) Goodbye, lord Gloucester.

Enter OSWALD the steward

OSWALD enters.

How now? Where’s the king?

Hello. Where’s the king?

15

OSWALD

My lord of Gloucester hath conveyed him hence.

Some five or six and thirty of his knights,

Hot questrists after him, met him at gate,

Who with some other of the lord’s dependants

Are gone with him towards Dover, where they boast

To have well-armèd friends.

OSWALD

Lord Gloucester has helped him leave. Thirty-five or thirty-six of his knights met him at the gate, and together with some others they’ve set off for Dover, where they claim to have powerful friends.